Hay-tedder



(No Model.)

,J. D. TRACY.

' HAY TEDDHR.

N0. 313,555. Patented Mar. 10, 1885.

N, PETERS Phflb'ullppnphog Washinginn. D, C-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, JOHN D. TRACY, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS.

HAY-TEDDER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 313,555, dated March 10, 1885.

Application filed June 10, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- Be it known that I, J OHN D. TRACY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sterling, in the county of \Vhiteside and State of Illi- 5 nois, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Hay-Tedders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apr pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to the class of haytedders in which the teeth are allowed to yield in passing over obstacles, and such invention pertains more especially to certain novel mechanism adapted to hold such teeth adjustably in their working position, and at the same time permit the teeth to pass over obstructions without injury to the parts. I

As the general construction and mode of operation of hay-tedders having like teeth are well known to those skilled in the art, I do 2 5 not deem it necessary to show or describe the entire machine, as the description of the parts to which my invention pertains will be sufficently clear. It will be remembered that in this class of machinery while the machine so proper moves forward the action of the teeth is toward the rear.

In the drawings, Figure l is a rear elevation of a tedder-arm embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same, show- 3, 5 ing the tooth thrown back by contact with an obstacle. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the pivoted stop-plate D.

A is the tedder-arm, pivoted to the usual crank-shaft by means of the box a.

B B are plates on the sides of the tedderarm A at the lower end of the latter, and having rearward extensions at their lower ends, on which are formed, respectively, the outwardly-extending hollow studs b b.

5 O is the tooth, having its central portion bent upward to rest against the rear side of the shaft A and intermediately coiled on the studs b.

D is a stop-plate provided with trunnions d d, which latter are inserted, respectively, in the inner ends of the studs b, and thus furnish a pivotal seat for such stop-plate D. The upper end, e, of the stop-plate D is pivotally clasped around the central portion of the tooth G, and its lower end, f, projected downward and beyond the plates 13 B. The stopplate D is pivoted in such relation to the tedder-arm A that when the tooth is thrown forward, as shown in Fig. 2, the lower end of such stop-plate strikes against the lower end of the tedder-arm A and prevents the upper end, 6, of such stop-plate, and thereby the central portion of the tooth G, passing out from under the end of the spring E. When the obstacle has been passed and the tooth C released, the spring E, acting on the upper end, 6, of the stop-plate, throws the tooth 0 back into working position. One advantage of this construction is that after the stop-plate D has abutted against the lower end of the teddero arm A,there yet remains some elasticity in the tooth, arising from the yielding nature of the spiral coils; and such double coil assists the intermediate adjustments of the tooth andallows each prong thereof a separate elastic 7 movement. The spring E is bolted at its upper end to the rear face of the tedder-arm A, and rests at its free end upon the upper end of the stop-plate D, as aforesaid. The spring E is held against lateral movement 8 by the intermediate collar, I which, while it encircles both the spring and teddderarm, is not intended to bring such parts into contact, thereby permitting the elastic action of the spring to extend below and above such 001- 3 lar. In this way the lower end of the spring E is held firmly upon the stop-plate D and its' entire length utilized, and this without any intermediate weakening of the spring by forming holes therein or otherwise. 0

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s-

1. In a liay-tedder, the stop-plate D, provided with trunnionsd, substantially as shown, 9 5 and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the plates B B, pro vided, respectively, with the hollow studs 12, tedder-arm A, stop-plate D, spring E, and tooth O, substantially as shown, and for the loo purpose specified.

3. In a hay-tedder, the combination of the tedder-arm A, spring E, and collar F, substantially as shown, and for thepurpose men tioned.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses: JOHN D. TRACY.

V. S. FERGUSON, GEo. W. CHAMBERLIN. 

